Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows
by geekycutecupcake
Summary: Shikamaru is killed by an enemy from the past and gets a second chance at life as Zuko's twin brother. Can he shield Zuko from the cruel Ozai and prevent Azula from becoming a monster?
1. Chapter 1

Prince of the Fire Nation and of the Shadows

 **Yes. I am making a second fan fiction and I am very excited about it. Shikamaru is my favorite character from Naruto and I wanted to do a fan fiction where he is able to shine more. Remember that I own none of the characters from Naruto and Avatar the Last Airbender. (Sigh) I wish I did... Thank you for your support my dear readers and please enjoy.**

Chapter 1: From the Shadows to the Flames

The situation was unbelievable. Shikamaru Nara. The man, who was able to accomplish so many great things once he got off his lazy butt, was only a few minutes from Death's door. Hidan, who had actually managed to somehow dig himself out of the hole he was buried in, had mortally wounded Shikamaru, but was apprehended before he could finish his disturbing ritual.

"Shikamaru! You need to hang in there just a little longer. Ino will have you healed up in no time, but you need to stay with us," begged Choji as Ino attempted to stop the bleeding from Shikamaru's abused body. Shikamaru could barely breathe and cursed himself for allowing Hidan, that scum of the earth, the opportunity to slice him up with that freaky scythe. At least Shikadai was safe...

 _Flashback_

 _Sunlight poured through the window and struck Shikamaru in the face. Shikamaru grudgingly got up when he heard Temari making a racket in the kitchen. Usually when Shikamaru got up in the morning, he would be in a hurry to eat and quickly leave to meet up with, Naruto, the Seventh Hokage. Not today. Today Shikamaru had the day off and was asked (ordered) by Temari to spend the day with their son, Shikadai. He honestly did not mind spending time with his son and had agreed the day before, but felt that he should probably reschedule this ominous morning. Shikamaru could sense that something unexpected and troublesome was going to occur. Not that he could explain that to his wife. She would just accuse him of being lazy and then kick his behind into next week. 'Maybe I'll just take Shikadai cloud watching today. Nothing dangerous or life threatening ever happened from watching a cloud.'_

 _After breakfast they had been escorted (kicked) out through the front door by Temari and were told not to return till they had done plenty of bonding. That was how father and son ended up walking through the village to their cloud watching spot with lazy expressions on their faces. 'Why did I marry a scary woman who is so much like my Mom?' thought Shikamaru with a sigh._

 _"This is such a drag", Shikadai said in a bored and annoyed voice. "Why did Mom have to make us get up so early in the morning? Women! They always feel the need to tell you what to do." Shikamaru couldn't help feeling amused. His son reminded him so much of himself when he was younger. His amusement was cut short when he felt killing intent being directed right at them._

 _"Shikadai! Run!"_

 _End of Flashback_

Hidan and Shikamaru had duked it out as soon as Shikadai took off. Long story short, Hidan had dominated the fight. Hidan had shockingly escaped the Shadow Imitation Technique and dodged all his trench knives. Hidan had fought like a man possessed and his movements had been too unpredictable to predict. Hidan had also attacked him so relentlessly that Shikamaru did not have any time to think up any strategies.

By the time help arrived, Shikamaru was a mess. Both eyes bruised and swollen, and cuts were scattered all over his face. His knuckles were cracked and bloody from punching Hidan a couple times in the face. His shirt was shredded in the front and was bleeding heavily from the wound on his stomach and chest.

Shikamaru could already feel himself drifting away. ' _After everything I have been through...After everything I have accomplished... This is the end... I kind of hoped I would die from old age... I'm sure Naruto will be OK... He still has Kakashi to assist him... Temari...I wish I could see you once more before I go...'_ thought a severely weakened Shikamaru. His beautiful wife, Temari, and his son appeared at his side with watery eyes. Shikamaru could not make out what they were saying and could not utter a word himself. There was so much he wanted to say to his family and friends, but could not dislodge the words stuck in his throat. And without warning...Shikamaru went completely still and was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

Chapter 2 Twin Princes of Fire

Today was a special day in the Fire Nation. Princess Ursa had just given birth to twin baby boys. First Prince Zuko and Prince Osamu. Ursa could not hold back the swell of pride and happiness she felt in her heart at the sight of her infant sons. She would not feel so alone anymore and quietly pondered how each one reacted to being born in the world. Zuko had came into the world crying and Osamu had followed behind without a sound which had concerned her at first till she learned that he was perfectly healthy. Both babies looked so alike, but already were so different in personality. She held them both in each arm, lovingly cradling and rocking them, as she patiently waited for her husband, Ozai, to arrive.

Ursa could not help being concerned for her two infants. Ozai was cruel and ruthless, qualities she did not want passing on to her sons. She tensed as she heard a knock on the door. Ozai and the Fire Sages had arrived. Ozai was a tall and imposing man. He also had dark hair that went past his shoulders, possessed a light-skin complexion and gold eyes.

At his approach, Ursa wore a nervous smile. She looked up at Ozai and shifted both babies to face their father. "Our sons. The first one is Zuko, the oldest, and Osamu, the younger twin. Do you approve of their names, my love?"

Ozai lips curved up to form a pleased grin. "They are fine names, but our next child must be named after my father. It will surely please him to have a grandchild carry his name." Ozai's grin suddenly fell from his face when he took a moment to observe Zuko. He and the Fire Sages exchanged looks for moment before he said, "Zuko lacks the spark in his eyes..."

Ozai's impassive stare remained focused on Zuko for what felt like eternity. Sweat began to drip from her face and she stole a quick glance at the Fire Sages. Their faces looked concerned and nervous before the silence was finally broken by Ozai himself. "He might not be a bender at all." Ozai's face barely concealed his contempt. "He will bring nothing less than shame to the royal family. I will not stand for it! Osamu at least shows the spark in his eyes! I shall cast the mistake from the palace walls!"

Ursa and the Fire Sages began at once to try and make Ozai see reason. Ursa cried that Zuko was his son and begged that he be allowed to live. The Fire Sages assured Prince Ozai that Zuko might be a firebender and to be patient because he was still too young for them to tell. Ozai finally gave in and allowed Zuko to live. Everyone was too busy feeling relieved to notice the look of horror on Osamu's face.

 **Osamu (Shikamaru)**

Despite his sudden death, Shikamaru was given a second chance at life and so far it had been a drag. It had taken him a few minutes to overcome his shock of being reborn. One moment he had died and the next he was coming out of a place he refused to name. ' _Why couldn't I have been reborn a cloud? A cloud just gets to drift on through life without a care in the world'._ Being in a strange place he had no knowledge of was bad enough, but being a newborn babe made it worse. Yet, one could gather a good amount of intel just by listening, even as a defenseless babe.


	3. Chapter 3

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

 **Here is the third chapter everyone has been waiting for! I hope it lives up to your expectations.**

 **Chapter 3: Clouds**

Shikamaru watched his new family inattentively with a bored and lazy expression that looked funny on a baby. His new mother, Ursa, was smiling as she carried a laughing Zuko and Ozai looked slightly annoyed as he carried Shikamaru. He still had trouble believing he had been reborn and had desperately hoped it had all been an elaborate genjutsu. Kami sure could be cruel when he wanted to be. Shikamaru's real family was left behind in Konoha and already Shikamaru could sense the depression closing in on him. _'Why couldn't I have been reborn a cloud?'_

It had already been a few months and today was the first day the twins had been allowed outside. Shikamaru could care less, but Zuko seemed to be having a ball. ' _I never imagined having an identical twin, much less one with so much damn energy. I already know this is going to be a drag…'_ thought a bored and slightly depressed Shikamaru. He could not help feeling slightly relieved that Ozai had not gone through with his threat to kill his new brother. Zuko began showing signs of being a fire bender after all and all the tension that had been surrounding the new family disappeared. Now only one problem remained: Shikamaru was stuck as a helpless infant with all his memories.

It was bad enough having to get used to being a baby in a different world , having a new name, a new family, but he also had to get used to being royalty. He was now Prince Osamu and was always being watched by a thousand eyes: his mother and brother, servants and nannies, and guards that were never far behind. Sure, being a baby for the first few days was great. He got to sleep all day, only had to whimper and people came running to immediately grant his every whim, and he got to do nothing. For the first time in forever no one was depending on him for anything.

Then he began to notice the drawbacks of being a baby again. Wearing a dirty diaper was a disgusting feeling and the smell was even worse. It sadly got even more troublesome. Getting diaper changes was a nightmare for a mentally adult baby, drinking milk every single day made him hate the stuff, and being forced to share his space with a drooling Zuko was not his idea of sibling bonding. His new mother decided to pop Zuko in his crib so they could get to know each other. His crib was very spacious so Shikamaru was able to roll away from the never ending waterfall of drool, but Zuko did not seem to know when he was not wanted. Zuko would simply roll after Shikamaru and latch himself to him like a kola clinging to a tree.

Ursa found this simply adorable. "My little turtle ducks already love each other! " And like that, Shikamaru and Osamu now shared a crib instead of each having their own. _'I hate this life.'_

Months later, Shikamaru was now being forced to bond with his whole new family. _'Troublesome…'_

Ozai was simply puzzled by the enigma that was his son, Osamu. Why? Osamu was both an extraordinary and irritating child. As an infant he never cried, but allowed Zuko to do the honors and whimpered when he needed to be fed or changed. Osamu never whined to be held and never bothered to seek affection like Zuko did. Ozai approved of such a strong independence at a young age, but hated the laziness Osamu also displayed at such a young age. Osamu preferred to sleep through out the day and refused to crawl for the longest time. He preferred to roll lazily about until Ursa put a stop to this in fear he would hurt himself. He still remembered when Osamu and Zuko went outside for the very first time.

Ursa had held Zuko and Ursa had Ozai carry Osamu. Zuko eyes had been full of wonder as he looked around in the palace garden and had babbled nonsense to Ursa the entire time. Osamu had been completely silent and merely looked bored. Then the small child had moved his head to look up at the sky and a content smile appeared on his face. Ozai had been shocked! This was the first time Osamu had ever smiled.

"Is my little Osamu smiling?!", Ursa said with an equally shocked look on her face.

"Clouds", chirped the small infant with his gaze fixed on the sky.

No one noticed the shadows on the ground dancing like candle flames.


	4. Chapter 4

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

 **I hope you all find this chapter entertaining and don't hesitate to send me reviews if you have an idea for the next chapter. Also, should Osamu fall in love again? Will he be willing to move on from Temari? I am open to suggestions. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 4: Ember Island and New Sibling**

Osamu's life was hell. Or at least, that was how he felt with the new changes he was facing. Not long after Zuko and Osamu were born, Ursa gave birth to a little girl named Azula, after their grandfather like Ozai wanted, and she would stumble after her older brothers when she learned to walk. Azula would follow Zuko and Zuko would follow Osamu. Ursa found it adorable and Osamu found it troublesome. Osumu at one point had attempted to escape his siblings by speeding up his pace, but that resulted in the two also quickening their pace and tripping into him in the process. Behold! The domino affect. Azula and Zuko found the situation so hilarious that they broke down in giggles, while Osamu was less than amused.

"All of my little turtle ducks in a row!" Ursa had a picture of the moment painted and Osamu had to resist the urge to rip the thing to shreds.

Osamu had to admit that his new life wasn't a total drag because he was fond of his new siblings and sometimes would shove aside his laziness to play with them. He also never had to suffer the humiliation of wearing a diaper again when his mother deemed it time to potty train him and Zuko just two years ago. Ursa was afraid at first that it was too soon, but was shocked when Osamu picked it up in seconds and refused to even go near the diapers. Osamu even got Zuko to use the potty after getting tired of smelling the stink bomb every time Zuko followed him around. ' _Now if I could only get Azula to quit yanking on my hair',_ Osamu thought with a groan as he massaged his sore scalp.

Osamu loved his two siblings and even had a softer spot for his new mother. Ursa was not a scary woman like his first mom and his wife Temari. Instead, Ursa was extremely loving, gentle, and devoted all her time to her children. As for Ozai, Osamu was still unsure about the man and still had a hard time accepting this man as his new father. The problem was that Ozai was too painfully different from his first father, Shikaku. Also, Osamu was wary of the man because he would not hesitate to kill his own flesh in blood if they dared to shame the royal family. Zuko would have been killed if it had not been for the pleas of his mother and the urging of the Fire Sages to be patient. He could still recall the firey rage that burned in those golden eyes the day he was reborn. Osamu only willingly attempted to go near the man of his own accord after the incident on Ember Island.

 _Flashback_

 _The royal family enjoyed their family vacations to Ember Island. Zuko and Azula would happily build sandcastles on the beach with their mother and Osamu would quietly lay back to watch the clouds. Surprisingly, Ozai would join Osama and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that seemed to surround them all on that island._

 _"Osamu, why do enjoy looking at the sky?", Ozai asked his 3 year old out of curiosity._

 _"I like to watch the clouds as they hover above our heads. They look so light and free without the worries and burdens of everyday life. They can take any shape they like, never have to take orders from no one, and they can travel all around the world at their own pace. I can't help feeling envious of them..." answered Osamu in a wistful way._

 _Osamu had expected Ozai to snort at him in disgust and walk away, but instead Ozai replied, "You truely are an old soul like your mother says. Instead of playing you enjoy listening to people prattle on about the history of the Fire Nation. You prefer reading scrolls over toys and you never cry when you fall, but soldier on as if it never happened. You are very independent and never cling to your mother like Zuko and find clever ways of doing things so you don't have to put in too much effort." Ozai gently smiled at Osamu and gently rubbed his head._

 _Osamu was stunned and before he could speak he heard his twin shouting in the distance. Both father and son turned to see little Zuko running off toward the direction of an eagle hawk who was attempting to capture a turtle crab for a meal. Zuko had quickly dashed forward to cradle the turtle crab protectively in his arms. Zuko had then turned toward the eagle hawk in victory until a sad frown began to cover his chubby face._

 _'Zuko realizes that the eagle hawk will go hungry now that he has interrupted his hunt and yet wants the turtle crab to live...Quite the delima for a toddler', mused Osamu as watched his older brother fondly._

 _Than out of nowhere a wave crashed in the exact spot Zuko had stood and dragged the small boy back with it._

 _"Zuko!", screamed Ursa and Osamu together with their voices laced with terror. Before Zuko could even blink, Ozai had leaped forward and dived into the crystal blue water. The current was strong and Osamu waited for what felt like eternity for his father to rescue his brother. When Ozai returned with Zuko to the shore they were swarmed by concerned guards that had arrived at the scene as soon as they could. Zuko had spent the rest of the day being nursed by their mother while Osamu did his best to distract Azula by reenacting the play Love amongst the Dragons with her._

 _End of Flashback_

Osamu had considered Ozai the enemy ever since he threatened to kill his twin, but Ozai had acted like a different man that day, he had behaved like a true father. He was kind to Azula, he attempted to bond with Osamu, and he had saved Zuko's like. Ozai was attempting to be a good father and it was only fair that he tried to be a good son. After all, Osamu did not doubt that he had Ozai's favor at the moment and it would be in his best interest to keep it.


	5. Chapter 5

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

 **This is the chapter everyone has been patiently waiting for and I really hope it meets everyone's expectations. In this chapter Osamu starts to learn firebending alongside his siblings and possibly shadowbending! I really appreciate the positive reviews I have been receiving, especially the ideas suggested to help speed things along. I plan to get Osamu on the War Council, but that will be for a later date. Thank you for your support and I grant permission for other writers who want to borrow this idea under the condition that they let me know so I can read it.**

Chapter 5: Fire and Shadows

Osamu was experiencing a nightmare he couldn't escape or hide from: Sibling rivalry.

Zuko and Azula were slowly growing apart as they got older. Osamu feared that if they continued to drift away they would probably end up killing each other. The whole mess was started by their parents who each had a favorite they would shower with attention, while ignoring or pointing out the faults of the other one. Their father, Ozai, taught and focused all his attention on his gifted daughter, Azula, and would sometimes spend time with his genius son, Osamu. They always exceeded beyond the expectations set by their tutors and were both naturals at firebending, especially Azula and she did not have past memories to help her like Osamu did. Azula was greatly favored by their father, Ozai because of her cruelty and willingness to inflict pain on others. Ozai had a soft spot for Osamu who he was able to have adult conversations with and it was a bonus that Osamu had a close relationship with his grandfather, Azulon. ( ** _A story for another time._** ) As firebending prodigies, everyone adored the two, which is why Osamu did not mind that their mother, Ursa, babied the neglected Zuko. This was when a rift began to form between the siblings and Osamu could only watch as it grew. Zuko was their mother's beloved child and she made it no secret she favored him over Azula, who was becoming more like Ozai each day. This of course hurt Azula more than their mother realized because no child should be feared by their own mother. This caused Azula to lash out at Zuko in jealously and frustration. Osamu once had to step in once when she took it too far.

 _Flashback_

 _It was a sunny morning without a cloud in the sky, to the disappointment of Osamu, and Azula was playing with her two friends Mai and Ty Lee from the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. The three girls were doing cartwheels and walking on their hands pretending to be performers with Osamu as their unwilling audience. Ty Lee was pretty good and giggled out," Look at me! Look at me! Aren't I great Osamu!" Azula, not liking being second best, shoved Ty Lee to the ground after being outdone by her friend in acrobatics._

 _"Was that really necessary?," Osamu asked with an unimpressed look aimed at his little sister. Before Azula could reply Zuko and their mother passed by smiling and talking to each other. It was a warm and happy scene that left a murderous expression on Azula's face until it was replaced with a bright smile that sent shivers up Osamu's spine. Things always got dangerous when Azula smiled like that._

 _'Why is it that the women in my life are so frightening that I would rather face-off against an army?', thought Osamu with a sigh._

 _Osamu was cut-off from his thoughts when he noticed what had caused Azula to beam with malice joy. Mai kept peeking over in Zuko's direction and then turning away shyly with a bright red face._

 _To sum it all up, Azula decided to seize the day and humiliate Mai and Zuko together at once. She ordered poor Mai to balance an apple on her head which Azula set on fire. She then attempted to goad Zuko into knocking the apple off the frightened Mai's head, but Osamu chose that exact moment to step in and put an end to Azula's twisted game._

 _"Azula! That is enough!", he bellowed and quickly put out the burning apple. "Everyone go inside for a minute. Me and Azula need to talk..." The three children quickly cleared out and left the two siblings alone._

 _"What's the big idea Osamu?", asked Azula with a sickly, sweet voice. "I was only playing a game. No one was going to get hurt. I was only messing with Mai and Zuzu"._

 _"Azula, you need to stop taking your anger out on Zuko. He is your brother and even though I understand where you are coming from, you can't blame Zuko for getting extra attention from mother. Mother knows he needs it more than us and you know it as well. You know how father treats him and how hurt he is by it."_

 _"He's not the only one that's hurt **",** Azula growled out with a voice laced with venom. **"My own mother thinks I am a monster! I can see it in the way she looks at me! She never looks at you that way or anyone else and she only likes spending time with her sweet Zuko!"** Azula was trembling with fury and her eyes glassy from tears threatening to fall. **"I am perfect! I am the one who does everything right, but all I see is fear and disgust in her eyes where there should be pride! All I want is for mother to love me like she loves you and Zuko!"**_

 _Azula finally allowed tears to pour from her eyes and began to sob hysterically. Osamu was as still as a statue for a few seconds because this was the first time Azula ever cried or told him how she truly felt. After a moment of hesitation, he finally moved forward to awkwardly hug his sister and comfort her the best he could._

 _End of Flashback_

Both of his parents were acting poorly and his siblings were suffering for it. He still remembered the pain he felt in his chest when Azula cried her heart out, a feeling that he also felt whenever Zuko was mistreated by their father.

' _This cannot be allowed to go on... Things need to change and I know exactly where to start'._ He first needed to continue with his secrete project of manipulating shadows. Osamu was able to send his own shadow out as if it was a clone, but it never made it too far from him. He had two things he that needed to be done.

 **Story Idea: Danny has a twin brother who is cool and popular, but a total mama's boy. He gets ghost powers like Danny and helps capture ghosts that escaped from the Ghost Zone. Join Danny and Dmitri as they discover more about their ghost powers and each other. [Dmitri will look like Danny, except with spiky hair, purple eyes, and slightly more muscled from learning self-defense against ghosts from their mother. He dreams of becoming a writer and ghost hunter. He is popular because he is smart like Jazz, weird (monologues his day and does a little jig when he is happy)yet charming and is sweet without trying to be.]**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is going to focus on Osamu attempting to bond with his grandfather, Azulon, and how he discovered he could bend shadows like he does with fire. The best chapter I have written yet and than the next chapter will continue where I left off with the sibling rivalry. Please enjoy and keep sending me plenty of reviews so I get better. Thank you. (Note: Is anyone interested in any of my story ideas on my profile? I would do them myself, but I have not improved enough as a writer and have schoolwork to focus on. Please! Will someone out there consider taking one of my ideas and bring it to life with their mad writing skills?!)**

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

Chapter 6: The Fire Lord and Shadow Dance

Osamu could honestly say that firebending lessons were troublesome and his tutors were a total drag. The art of firebending was too aggressive for Osamu's taste and he did not care for its' general lack of decent defensive moves. Osamu did his best to learn and modify the style to his liking. The only problem was that it required a lot of effort and left him bone tired, but he knew it would be beneficial for him in the far future since the Fire Nation was bent on world domination. He needed to know how to defend himself and stay on his father's good side.

As for brother and sister, Azula was thriving and proved herself to be a prodigy. She was a natural and truly enjoyed being a firebender, she gladly helped Osamu create new stances and moves to better fit him. Zuko was slightly above average and had trouble keeping up with his talented siblings. Luckily, Osamu had experience teaching young children and was able to help Zuko slowly catch up.

Anyway, today was Zuko's and Osamu's birthday which meant no lessons for the day. Unluckily, his mother insisted that they all dress their best and attend the party being held in their honor. This also meant that they were going to visit their grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon for the first time, which explained the big party rather than a small gathering of friends and gifts like Osamu would have preferred.

Zuko was rather excited and asked questions like "What is grandfather like?" or "What kind of gifts are we going to get?" or "Can I get a sword?" The last question resulted with their father giving Zuko a stern look and stern "No". It was no secret that Ozai highly valued firebending and was not impressed with other fighting skills he found inferior.

 _'There is no way I am sticking around,'_ Osamu silently thought. _'I think I would rather avoid such a pointless display and take a well deserved nap. Maybe watch some clouds in my favorite spot in the garden or play that Pai Sho game Uncle sent me...'_

After giving Zuko his gift, a studded dagger with flame designs (it was okay to give the kid a weapon since he was allowed to play with fire), Osamu slipped away as soon as they arrived with his new game safely tucked under his arm. But as soon as we was making his way down the hall he bumped into the devil himself: Firelord Azulon and his guards.

 _'Ah, irony. We meet again.'_ Osamu hid the fustration on his face as he observed the most powerful man in the Fire Nation, the very man he kind of hoped to avoid. He was a lot older than Osamu imagined, but he knew that looks could be deceiving and underneath was a powerful bender willing to take down anyone who dared to question his authority. The ancient man possessed sharp gold eyes that seemed to assess Osamu in an attempt to measure his worth.

"Are you Zuko or Osamu, boy? Speak up!", ordered the elder in a strong and commanding voice.

"Osamu, Fire Lord Azulon..." Osamu answered with a polite tone and not with his usual bored drawl but still flat.

Fire Lord Azulon was a hard to impress and Osamu managed to that in a few seconds. Not many had the guts to face Azulon without flinching or trying to butter him up with flattery or avoiding his eyes (besides his two sons). Azulon had at first dismissed the idea of attending his two grandson's birthday celebration, he had a war to win and they were his least favorite son's spawn, and yet he could not resist attending out of curiosity of the one called Osamu. He heard rumors about the genius child who was a gifted bender and scholar. Many gossiped about how the boy acted like a mini adult and how we would spend hours in the library. The Pai Sho board brought a small smile to his face since the game was his heir's, Iroh's, favorite. So far, Azulon liked what he saw. The boy lacked the arrogant and cruel gleam in his eyes that his father wore and was not trying to suck up to him in anyway. No, the boy was observing and analyzing him while keeping his face blank.

"Please. Call me grandfather. Have you come to escort your grandfather to your party, Osamu?", he asked amusedly as he watched Osamu's face morph into one of confusion and shock at his grandfather's change in demeanor. "Why don't we play that game inside? "

They entered side by side and the room went silent and people bowed in respect to their Fire Lord. Some wore expressions of shock that Lord Azulon actually came. Ozai and Ursa, along with their other two children, approached the Fire Lord and bowed to the man in respect before greeting him.

"Father, we are honored that you have made time to attend the twin's 9th birthday celebration. I see you have already meant Osamu."

The day was not a total waste like Osamu had predicted. His grandfather spent a few hours playing Pai Sho with him, promised to bring the greatest sword master in the Fire Nation to train Zuko, and tolerated Azula who made it obvious that she was not impressed with what she saw. Their mother had a stern talking to her after the party was over.

"Regardless of your feelings for your grandfather, you must show him respect. He is the Fire Lord and our leader", her mother lectured. "You should follow your older brother's example. Now off to bed."

Azula snorted, but left without a fight after her father patted her on the shoulder. Zuko soon followed and Ursa went with him to tuck him in. Ozai's annoyed stare followed then until they disappeared and then his gaze came to focus on Osamu.

"You have made quite the impression on your grandfather today."

Osamu shrugged and gave his usual lazy look. "He and I just played the same game all day. We never even really talked."

His father merely smirked. "The fact that he acknowledged you at all is impressive. That is something we can use to our advantage, Osamu."

"How?", asked a Osamu pretending to be puzzled. He had some idea of what his power hungry father was after.

"I'm sure you already have some idea, but I will tell you more another time. Anyway, I have yet to give you your present." His father waved at the numerous scrolls covering a gold table. "All of these scrolls contain the history and glory of the Fire Nation. From battle tactics to ancient old customs can be found in these scrolls."

Osamu was both surprised and pleased. He thanked his father and carried the scrolls back to the safety of his bedroom. Osamu was so pleased with having more intel about his new world and learning new battle tactics he had to resist pumping his fist in the air with excitement. His shadow, however, had no problem expressing his joyful feeling for him. Osamu's shadow was throwing it's fists in the air with triumph and then returned to mimicking Osamu. This shocked him beyond belief. His shadow never did that before. Not past life or present.

Osamu attempted to make his shadow do it again and for an while not a thing happened. Osamu sighed and decided to give it one more shot before he gave up. Instead of making his shadow move he manipulated the shadows of the objects surrounding him.

"I can shadow bend...", he whispered to no one in particular.

 **Extra: Osamu Has a Fever**

 **"Your burning up, Turtle duck!", exclaimed Ursa as soon as her had touched Osamu's forehead. "You are not leaving this bed, young man!"**

 _ **'Who said I was going to...', thought an annoyed and sick Osamu. 'Can you turn down your volume?'**_

 **A while after his mother left, Azula suddenly bursted open his bedroom doors and ran foward to present the bowl she cradled in her hands.**

 **"I heard you were sick so I made you some soup, Osamu! I made all by myself!" Azula shoved the bowl forward so Osamu could see and her eyes glittered with pride.**

 **Osamu peered over at the contents of the bowl and saw his death. The poisonous looking liquid was purple and bubbling with a horrible scent that had his stomach churning.**

 **"Eat up, Osamu!",chirped a beaming Azula. Osamu wanted to refuse, but then he noticed the cut marks on her fingers and the food stains covering her clothes. She had obviously worked hard and Osamu was touched by the gesture. He knew what he ha to do...**

 **In the end, Osamu suffered great stomach ache and faced the horrible care of Nurse Azula.**


	7. Chapter 7

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

 **Here is another chapter that I managed to produce without going brain-dead with all the studying I have to do! I hope you love it! Also, I was thinking about starting another story this December and I want your opinion on which one I should do:**

 **1) Attack on Titan- Random extras about Sasha**

 **2) Naruto and Harry Potter Crossover- Ino is reborn Daisy Evans and attends Hogwarts with her twin, Lily Evans!**

 **3) The Avengers and Naruto- Sai ends up in a whole new world where he is discovered by Shield and joins the Avengers in hopes of returning home.**

 **4) Lord of the Rings and Avatar the Last Airbender- Sokka has accomplished many great things and the most recent was helping create Republic City and serving on the Council. Sadly, Sokka is not given a chance to relax when he is yanked from his world to another one that needs his help. Can Sokka help save Middle Earth without the his friends?**

 **Feel free to borrow these ideas to write your own story. Thank you.**

Chapter 7: Tests and Family

Osamu considered himself an easy-going kind of guy and did not like involving himself in pointless squabbles, but for his siblings he realized he would do the unthinkable. Their little war had gone on long enough and it was time for it to end. He decided to take a tip from Kakashi's book and put his plan into action immediately. After his nap, of course.

A bored Azula and a frustrated Zuko were practicing their breathing and stances after their exercises when Osamu finally decided to approach them.

"Darn it!" Zuko muttered and threw himself down on the ground, moping. He brightened quickly when he saw Osamu coming their way. "Osamu! Where have you been?"

Osamu merely shrugged his shoulders. "You know I find too much training training to be a drag...and we already went over those same stances already..."

Azula scowled the same time that Zuko blushed in embarrassment. "We did! That dummy, Master Kunyo, keeps saying we need to practice our forms and Zuko is taking forever to learn them! Just wait! I'll tell father and have Kunyo punished for his stupid firebending lessons." Azula sported a triumphant look of glee, while Zuko looked upset.

"You talk of something of which you know nothing, Azula," responded a bored eyed Osamu. "Basics are the foundation for everything...They are important even though they can be a drag."

Azula merely huffed and said, " **I** know the basics. **You** know the basics. Why should we have to start all over and be held back because our teacher is such a dumdum?!"

"Enough. There is plenty of time for advanced training and techniques," asserted Osamu. "Anyway, there is a special reason for why I got up so early this morning-"

"But, Osamu, it's already noon!," interrupted Zuko.

"You see, I have a little game I thought you guys might be interested in playing," Osamu continued on as if Zuko never spoken. He then proceeded to explain the bell test to his siblings. "Simple, right? The winner will get to eat this," said Osamu as he produced a picnic basket that held all their favorite foods. It smelled like heaven to the two who had been training all morning. "And the loser will go hungry," finished Osamu with a smirk. "Begin!"

Osamu could not hold back a smirk as his siblings tried charging at him over and over to only bump into each other or be tossed around like a rag doll. He critically watched his twin and sister, and noticed how different they were now from two hours earlier. Azula had been brimming with confidence, but now was frustrated and angry for not yet succeeding in getting a bell. Zuko had been cautious ever since the game began and now was a nervous wreck. Feeling annoyed that his siblings had yet to figure out the point of the game he decided it was time to end it. Unfortunately, a small yawn decided at that moment to escape his mouth before he could stop it and things immediately began to change.

Azula's face morphed into that of a ferocious dragon as she literally began spitting out fire. "Are we **boring** you, Osamu?", asked Azula with a sickly sweet voice, laced with venom and evil intent. "So sorry! We promise to keep you entertained the whole day. We're gonna have so much fun!"

 _'Why do most of the females I know are easy to anger and are scarier than facing an entire army alone?'_

Azula had flung herself forward with her eyes locked on her target: Osamu. He was able to dodge at last second, but was attacked by streams of flame from Zuko. Osamu bit back a curse for forgetting about Zuko and whirled his hands in a circular motion to distinguish the flames. He sadly realized his mistake of turning his back on Azula when he noticed how oddly warm his backside was.

In the end, Zuko and Azula worked together to get the bells. They became closer after that and celebrated with having a picnic in the garden. As for Osamu...he needed time to recover from the major butt burns he received from his dear sister.

Now all Osamu had to do was fix the relationship between mother and daughter. How hard could that be?

 **Here is a sneak peek for a story I promised AlphaGirl1711 I would attempt to do.**

 **She's the Alpha**

 **Akira was very lonely. She and her grandmother were the last of the Wolff clan. The rest were killed off long ago by ninjas from Kirgakure, a village hidden in thick mist. Her parents had gotten themselves killed trying to avenge their once great clan and enough time went by for Akira to forget what they looked like.**

 **"We shall join the most powerful ninja village, Konoha. They will surely welcome us and treat us with the respect we deserve," her grandmother growled the day she decided they needed to move. The tiny little hut they lived in left much to be desired with its' dirt floor and linky roof. "You'll be able to become a proper ninja and bring back the Wolff Clan's former glory, Akira. And we will get a chance to meet our distant relatives the Inuzuka Clan."**

 **They had packed their meager belongings and began their journey to the Village Hidden in the Leaves! Akira grimaced as she and her grandmother continued to maneuver through the trees that surrounded the great village. The two had been traveling for 7 days without rest in hopes of getting to the village quicker. The 5 year old resisted the urge to whine about her sore feet and the twigs that were tangled in her fiery red hair. After all, the sooner they made it to Konoha the sooner she would get a chance to make friends! The small girl's eyes began to sparkle with hope and determination as she forced her legs to move quicker to keep up the swift pace set by her grandmother.**

 **In the end, despite her efforts to keep up, she rode on her grandmother's back as the elderly woman began leaping through the trees.**

 **Tell me what you guys think and feel free to give advice on what I can do to make this story great. Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I want to apologize for taking so long updating this story and for not starting the one story where Sai joins Shield! I promise to update more, but I'm afraid I might not be able to do the Sai and Shield story. If your interested in doing that story for me then feel free to do so but let me know.**

 **Chapter 8: Osamu's Destiny**

Osamu just laid there in the field with his eyes staring at the clouds. He looked calm and peaceful on the outside, but on the inside he was anything but that.

 _'When did things start to go wrong?,'_ he thought as he saw a cloud shaped like a boat go by. _'Was it when Uncle Iron lost his fighting spirit after Lun Ten's death? Or was it when Father's ambitious nature began to grow even more out of control?'_ Osamu closed his eyes and started to breathe in the fragrance of the flowers and fresh scent of the grass. _'Could I have done more to prevent this?'_ He continued to stare up at the sky, except now there was desperation shinning in his eyes. Almost as if he was asking the very clouds he admired so much for an answer. They remained silent as Osamu began remembering the events that lead to him seeking solitude in the palace garden.

 _Flashback_

 _There seemed to be an impenetrable wall separating mother and daughter and it refused to crumble. It did not help that Zuko, without meaning to, kept getting in the way of a much needed bonding experience between Ursa and Azula. Zuko seemed to grow even more clingier to their mother over the last two years, which frustrated Azula to no end._

 _Osamu along with his mother and younger sister all sat around the dinning room in comfortable silence. Ozai had long left and Zuko was taking sword lessons from a true master. Osamu pretended to read a scroll as he waited for Azula to make her move. Earlier that morning he had managed to convince Azula to take the first step in repairing her relationship with their mother. He watched as Azula meekly walked up to her mother and tug on her silky robe with trembling fingers to get her attention._

 _"M-mother," spoke Azula with a shy, shaky voice that was greatly different from her usual confident. Osamu could not resist a small chuckle at how much Azula resembled Hinata at that moment. "Can j-just the two of u-us walk through the garden together? Please?"_

 _Time seemed to stand still as Ursa took a moment to observe her daughter. As if she was seeing something that was not there before and it surprised her. Azula just stood there waiting with resignation on her face, the sparkle of hope long gone from her eyes after the long stretch of silence, already believing her mother was going to refuse her request._

 _"Alright. Just the two of us," her mother said softly, a tender smile on her lips with eyes filled with warmth. They soon disappeared from Osamu's view just as Zuko seemed to pop out of thin air._

 _'I need to get a bell for this kid or something,' thought an annoyed, but also impressed Osamu._

 _"Do you know where I can find mother? One of the servants said she was here, but I don't see her anywhere..."_

 _"She is occupied at the moment, but never mind that. How did your sword lessons go?," Osamu asked in hopes of Keeping his twin distracted._

 _"Master Piandao is amazing, Osamu! He says I am making a lot of progress in the art of fighting with duel broadswords! It comes more naturally to me than fire bending does!" Zuko gushed out all at once. Osamu made it his top priority to ignore all the blah that started to pour from his twin's mouth._

 _End of flashback_

Everything had all began to go downhill after that day. It started when their father began to go out of his way to be cruel to Zuko and the most memorable moment of his cruelness was the time when the whole family was eating at the palace dining hall. "Osamu and Azula were born lucky. You were lucky to be born at all! Lucky for you, your mother and the Fire Sages pleaded for your life. Osamu and you may share the same face, but he never needed that kind of luck. Not even your sister!" Those words were poison to Zuko's already fragile heart. Zuko's confidence began hitting an all time low and things just got worse. Zuko began refusing Osamu's help and isolating himself. Their mother disappearing and their father becoming Fire Lord did not help matters.

Osamu also missed their mother. Why did she leave? Was she OK? Was she still alive? Not knowing was agonizing and painful. He had a few theories about why she disappeared but had no proof to support any of them. He needed to discover the truth because he knew it was also tied to why his father hated Zuko, his own son, so much. The question was where to start?


	9. Chapter 9

**Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows**

 **I want to take a moment to apologize first about taking so long to update. I won't bore you with the details, but I have been having a rough year. It's all starting to turn around though and I am celebrating with this chapter. Enjoy and feel free to leave some reviews. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 9: Shadows Cooler Than Flames**

With Ozai, his father, as Fire Lord things began to become even more difficult for the lazy Osamu. It was sad to think that he, a man that was once widely known for his intelligence and skills for strategy , was scared. He was totally out of his element when it came to these kind of problems. Give him a life and death situation and he could figure his way out of it. But this was something completely different. With their Mother gone and missing, Zuko and Azula began looking to Osamu for more attention which forced him into a constant tug of war match between the two.

"Osamu, come firebend with me! My flames are starting to turn blue!"

"No! Come spar with me! You promised to join me in learning how to use dual broadswords! "

It was beginning to grate on his nerves as his siblings became more clinging. They refused to give him the space he desperately needed to hone his shadowbending. Even worse, they seemed determined to stand between him and his precious sleep! He desperately needed his space, but even his father seemed determined to get in his way with demands that Osamu spend time under his constant tutor ledge. It was obvious to everyone, even Zuko, that Ozai planned on making Osamu his heir. The new Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. It had Zuko resenting his twin at first, until Osamu confronted him about it.

 _Flashback_

 _"Why have you been avoiding me, Zuko?"_

 _"I don't know what your talking about," mumbled Zuko, not once turning around to look at Osamu, as he continued towards his room. "I've just been busy, you know?"_

 _"Mmm-hmm. Sure," said Osamu with a bored voice. "I mean, Azula is even busier than you, but she always finds time to hang out, so spill it. Are you angry at me? If you are, I'm sorry Zuko, I never asked father to make me his heir. I'm sorry that-"_

 _Zuko quickly swerved around to face Osamu, waving his arms to create small flames of frustration and anger that sparked in the air. "I'm not mad at you! I'm mad at myself," he cried. "No matter how much I try... I just can't seem to catch up to you! We're supposed to be twins, but you are so much better than me. Heck, even Azula, my little sister, is more talented than I am. How can someone like me compete with genius? No wonder father hates me and wanted to k-"_

 _Zuko stopped himself from finishing his sentence as he looked to Osamu and his room doors, biting his lip before once again heading the opposite direction of his twin._

 _Osamu sighed. "You are being such a drag."_

 _Zuko paused at this and turned around to face Osamu again._

 _"Really? That's all you have to say? How can you understand what it feels like to be a failure-"_

 _"Shut up, you troublesome brother, and just listen. The world is a big place and there's always going to be someone better than you, better than me, which is why their are geniuses of hard work like you. People that have the drive to surpass all others because they had to work hard from the start. Now stop crying and whining, so you can show everyone what you can do. You are not a failure, Zuko."_

 _Zuko just stared at Osamu before running towards him and hugging him with all his might._

 _End of Flashback_

Things began to look up when Uncle Iroh finally returned to the Fire Nation and he was more than happy to look after Zuko. Sadly, Azula was not as easy to lose since she did not care for Iroh much and was just pleased to have Osamu to herself. She even managed to discover his secret. Troublesome sister.

 _Flashback_

 _It was late in the day and Osamu stood in his room facing the wall where his shadow hung. He closed his eyes and concentrated. For a moment, nothing happened until ihis shadow suddenly began making punching motions and doing flips. It even came off the wall and began doing firebending stances and some old fighting moves from his old life. Opening one eye to see his progress he grinned at his success. This was a lot different than what he used to be able to do, but he was figuring it out. He realized he could manipulate the shadows like he could with fire but his own shadow was a bit tricky. It could only be controlled with careful concentration and by his emotions._

 _He heard a gasp come from behind him. Swiftly, he turned around to find his sneaky sister poking her head out from his closet._

 _"How are you doing that!"_

 _"What a drag."_

 _End of Flashback_

In the end, Osamu managed to convince Azula to remain silent about what she saw. But it did not stop her from pestering and nagging him about it.

"You should tell Father about this!" and "You discovered a new bending and want to keep it secret? That's just plain selfish" and "This is a major discovery. There could be other shadow benders out there that could be taught how to shadowbend and fight for the Fire Nation. Our enemies will never see it coming."

"I have yet to master it and I will only tell Father after I do. Not before but after. Okay? Now let's move on to a more pressing matter. Why were you in my closet, you troublesome sister?"

 **Ozai's Thoughts**

 **He had finally done it! After all these years of coming second to his brother...he was now the Fire Lord instead of that failure, who was without a doubt, drinking tea and weeping pathetically over the death of his son. Sure, he hit some bumps on the way towards the path of greatness: he had his father killed, his traitorous wife banished, and several servants that needed to be dealt with after hearing whispers of "Iroh is the true heir" and "Iroh should be Fire Lord". Such talk needed to be silenced before it spread like a disease and had the other peasants questioning his authority. For some reason memories of his father and wife took center stage in his thoughts.**

 _ **"The Fire Nation is the most powerful kingdom in the world because of our family and that is because we know how to rule with an iron fist and never allow others to dictate how we command. True Fire Nation royalty never show weakness and they always know what is right! Never lower yourself to the point that you would listen to those that are lesser than you! Remember that!"**_

 **His father had drilled those words into both his son's minds and Ozai never forgot them. He lived everyday by those words and they made him strong, powerful. Only skill and accomplishment could determine a person's worth. That is why he favored Azula and Osamu.**

 ** _"I wish Zuko and Osamu were Ikem's son!"_**

 **Ozai had to resist the urge to spew out flames in rage over his wife's insolence. Despite his attempts to be a good husband and father, she had refused to forget her old life. Refused to let go of her former fiancé. A man that was too far below him to ever be his equal!**

 _ **'They caused their own downfall,'**_ **he reasoned to himself** _ **. 'My father denied my right to rule! And Ursa-'**_

 **"Father?"**

 **Ozai looked to see his son Osamu come before him and bow.**

 **"I'm beg your forgiveness for my tardiness, Father."**

 **Ozai merely smiled at his favorite son and thought, 'I have no doubt that once the Fire Nation rules the world and I'm long gone, Osamu will be the greatest ruler in Fire Nation history, but he has a long way to go before he is ready to wear this crown. He still too soft and weak thanks to his foolish mother. When she was still here she poisoned his mind with silly things like love, kindness and peace. Zuko is beyond help but not Osamu. I'll make a Phoenix King out of him yet.'**


	10. Chapter 10

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

Chapter 10: Scars Don't Heal

Osamu groaned as he dragged his feet through the palace gardens, hands rubbing against his face. He had bags under his eyes, strands of hair coming loose from his ponytail, and his clothes looked slightly disheveled. Yep, Osamu was a tired mess that was ready to fall over at any moment. Thanks to the title of Crowned Prince, Osamu was forced to get up early every morning to attend his many duties and new lessons. He cursed the day that Azula discovered his shadowbending. Despite warning Azula that she had better not tell, she went and tattletaled to their father two days later about his ability and now he was never able to relax. His father was obsessed with the discovery of shadow bending and kept questioning Osamu in hopes of discovering more shadow benders. He also forced Osamu to train daily in bending shadows, hoping to speed up the process of him mastering shadowbending.

Osamu snarled at the happy sunshine that stubbornly beat down on him from the sky.

"I can't keep going like this. I want to sleep, damn it!"

"Osamu, my dear nephew, please watch your language."

Barely suppressing the jolt of surprise that ran through him, Osamu turned around to see his Uncle Iroh sitting in the garden with some tea. The last time he had seen his uncle was a few days ago, but it felt like years and he could not help the sigh of relief at seeing the man.

"Sorry, Uncle Iroh," he said, his frustration already disappearing. "I'm just tired of ...everything. I miss being able to sit back and relax. Father is being such a drag."

"Your father can be a... difficult man but he's just so proud of you, Osamu. He only wants to help you to become the great man you are destined to be, even if his way of doing it is not the best."

Osamu scoffed, letting his hair down before attempting to fix it.

"I am not his only kid. He's been neglecting Azula lately and barley spares Zuko a glance. I need to get away for a while. Travel a little, experience the world that I have yet to see with my own eyes. I don't want to leave my siblings, but I really need this and it will only be for a short while. Do you think you can help?"

"A short vacation will do you some good. I am sure we can get your father to agree if we can get him to see what a good experience it will be for you. But first, how about some Ginseng?" Uncle Iroh asked as he already began to pour another cup and pass it to Osamu.

 **Months Later**

Osamu stood on the ship's deck with his uncle as they arrived back in the Fire Nation. Osamu had really enjoyed traveling again, even if it was not on foot like he was used to and he was being guarded instead doing the guarding. But, hey, a lazy guy like him was not going to complain. He was able to unwind and relax, while learning about the the other two nations. His uncle had even taught him some waterbending moves that worked with his shadowbending. He made more progress and had more freedom sailing the seas, but now it was already time to return home.

As Osamu expected, The Royal Guards were waiting at the docks to escort them home. When they arrived, both his brother and sister were waiting to greet them.

Azula was the first to run toward him, looking happy, scared and angry all at once. This shocked some of the Royal Guards since Azula was usually so composed.

"I'm so,so sorry, Osamu. I know I had no right to tell father your secret, but I did it anyway without caring how you would feel," she said softly, her head lowered. "I understand if your still angry, but please don't leave again."

Osamu let out a sigh.

"Troublesome little sister. I did not leave because of that. I left because I wanted some time to just laze about, you know. Thanks this vacation, I've gotten to sleep, learn about the other nations, sleep, better master my shadowbending, sleep, and watch the clouds go by," he said proudly with a lazy grin.

"You said sleep exactly three times," Azula muttered, one eye twitching in annoyance and anger. "Did you leave just so you can sleep?"

Osamu's lazy grin slowly morphed into a smirk, which resulted in Azula chasing and throwing fire balls at him. The Royal Guards stood by in confusion. No doubt wondering if they should step in while Iroh and Zuko chatted like nothing was wrong.

 **The Next Day**

Osamu felt like he was on fire. Osamu was sick: his head hurt and it felt like it was stuffed with straw, he was burning with fever, and his mouth felt so dry that he wouldn't be surprised if he found sand in his mouth.

 _'What a drag,'_ he thought. _'I really don't need this right now... I was invited to listen in at the war council today and I doubt father, Fire Lord Ozai, will let me skip because of a cold.'_

Poor Osamu was practically out of it by the time the war council started. He felt like he was either going to blackout or throw up. Neither one was a good option with his father present.

 _'Get it together,'_ he sternly scolded himself. _'I just need to focus and-'_ He slowly lifted his hand to stare at it, not noticing that Zuko and Iroh were there or that one of the generals wanted to sacrifice an entire division of soldiers.

 _'Why is there a tiny Temari in my hand yelling at me? Hi there. Oh, now there is a tiny Naruto shouting,"Believe it!'' How weird.'_

He eventually blacked out after all, never hearing his twin brother's outburst or about the Agni Kai. By the time he had awoken, he learned from the servants that Zuko had an angry fire burn on the left side of his face. A punishment from their father to serve as a reminder about respect. Ozai had burnt his 13 years old son.

 _'I should never have left for that trip! I would have never gotten sick and could have stopped this. No, I **should** have stopped this. Measures should have been taken to ensure Zuko was not present for that meeting. What was uncle thinking when he allowed Zuko to come?'_

As soon as Osamu was told about what had happened, he was racing towards his brother room, berating himself as he did so. He quickly threw open Zuko's door to find his twin bald with the last of his hair still in a ponytail, bandages covering the scarred flesh around his left eye, the right eye filled with so many emotions: anger, hurt, confusion, sadness, and shame.

"Oh Zuko..."

 **Yep, I decided to let Zuko get the scar anyway, but had to find a way where Osamu could not interfere. What should Osamu's next move be? Should he give up the title of Crown Prince to stay with Zuko? Will he go off on his own to plot against his father? Will he stay behind with Azula? What do you think?**


	11. Chapter 11

Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows

 **Chapter 11: Zuko's Banished and Other Shadows**

"Osamu...I'm glad to see your awake," Zuko said with a dead voice. Zuko then turned away from his twin, eyes focused on the bags before him.

"Zuko, why are you packing?" Osamu eyes darted back and forth from the luggage and Zuko himself, begging for Zuko to dispel the suspicion and fear he already knew to be true.

Zuko paused, still holding a folded red garment in his quivering hands. He answered with his back still turned and said,"After the duel...Father told me that by refusing to fight, I showed weakness. I am being banished, Osamu. At least... until I have captured the Avatar. Only then shall I be allowed to return home with my honor."

Osamu closed his eyes and cursed quietly to himself. The Avatar, according to his studies, had not been seen for 100 years. If he had been reincarnated, he was hiding himself very well and the chances of Zuko actually finding the Avatar was close to zero. Their father was sending Zuko on a fool's errand. Just like he lost his mother, Osamu was going to lose his twin.

His thoughts were interrupted when Zuko spoke to him again. "Azula managed to acquire me a ship and Uncle found me a crew. He will be joining me in banishment to assist me in my mission. Hopefully, it will take me a year at the most. I'll find the Avatar and Father will welcome me home and everything will be back to normal." His last sentence was laced with so much desperation and longing that Osamu did not have the heart to crush what little hope Zuko had.

Someone began knocking on the door before Osamu could think of something encouraging to say. Uncle Iroh came into the room, face grim and sad, two servants followed him in and began grabbing his bags and carrying them away.

"It is time to go, Zuko." Iroh's voice was gentle, kind. It was almost like he was talking to a skittish, hurt animal. "Ah. I see that you are well Osamu. Will you be seeing us off at the docks?"

"Let's depart now, Uncle," cut in Zuko. "The sooner we leave the sooner we'll have the Avatar in chains."

Shouldering past Iroh, Zuko quickly left the room without once looking back. Both of them left not long after that and the only one happy about it was the Fire Lord.

 ** _Later That Night_**

Sleep refused to come to Osamu that night as he sat wide awake in his bed. The room was dark, his trained eyes still able to make out all the objects surrounding him. He could see his desk that contained all the scrolls that lay neglected, his wardrobe that Azula was fond of hiding in, painted pictures of different places around the world from his travels covering his walls, and scattered around in his room were beautiful furniture positioned around tastefully.

'Zuko is probably headed to the nearest Air Temple right now to begin his search. He knows deep down that Fire Lord Ozai has assigned him an impossible task, but he won't give up at the slim chance that the Avatar is still live. He'll keep trying, just like Naruto...'

Osamu sighed and shook his head. Right when he was about to lay down he heard a slithering sound entering his bedroom. It was similar to that of a snake as it rose from under his door but he knew better, it was a shadow. Osamu rose quickly and quietly moved to the corner of his room, blending in with the shadows in wait for the intruder.

He watched as the large shadow slipped into his room and stopped at the foot of his bed. Slowly, the shadow rose from the floor and began to reform itself until it resembled a female around the age 15. She was a slightly plump girl, dressed in simple clothes of red and pink, her eyes a deep brown. She looked confused as she stared at the empty bed, hands trembling and breathe coming out shaky.

"Where is he? He was supposed to be here!," she loudly whispered. She began to pace the room in panic, her trembling spreading from her hands to her shoulders and legs. "I know I saw him come in here!" In a matter of minutes she turned the entire room upside down looking for the very teen hiding in the darkest corner.

"Are you looking for me?" he asked in a dry tone while appearing in front of the girl, leaving her in a state of shock from witnessing him materialize from the shadows.

She stood staring at him like a fish gasping for air, her mouth opening in an attempt to speak and then closing to just repeat the action over and over. "Y-your like me. Your...a shadow bender!" she managed to get out just to resume her previous action.

"What a drag," the boy sighed. "Yes, I am a shadow bender and from what I just saw, so are you. What are you doing in my room?"

The girl's face went from shock and amazement to pure hate. The room became a pitch black as the girl began to tremble once again, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. Osamu was on guard, prepared for the girl to attack, but for the longest time she just stood there. The silence stretched on to the point that it almost became unbearable. It was only when tears began to run down her face that the room went back to its' previous state.

"My name is Mariko and your father is the reason my family is dead."

Osamu didn't react outwardly, but inside he felt a fire burning deep in his gut that wanted to erupt. _'How many lives do you plan to ruin and take, Ozai? Is this just the beginning?'_

"I was happy at one time. I had two parents that were filled with so much love and kindness, a brother that loved to joke, and a grandpa that loved to tell stories. We lived a peaceful life in a small village and though we did not have much, we were content, we were all happy. At least, we were until the Fire Nation's army came. They came to forcefully recruit my father and my brother, both of them being fire benders. My father begged them to let my brother go because he was still too young. But they refused and my mother, well, she **refused** to accept it. She attempted to fight them in hopes of freeing my brother and it cost her life. My father, in the heat of anger and grief, retaliated and killed the bender responsible. In the end...my father and brother were also dead. Even my poor grandpa that shielded me from the flames being shot around. And...the army just left. Left me surrounded by my family's corpses and my house in flames."

 _'She's still just a kid and she had to see all that. Everyone she loved is gone and now she is alone.'_ Pictures of Sasuke began to pop up in Osamu's mind before he forced them away.

"I could of stopped it, you know. I could have fought-," she sobbed, tears and snot becoming one as they poured down from her face. "But I froze! I couldn't do anything and now they're all gone!" Mariko wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself in an attempt to keep from falling completely apart. "That's why I'm here. To get revenge against the Fire Lord. It was because of his orders that my family is gone. I already killed the soldiers responsible and now all that's is left is to kill you. The Fire Lord will surely weep if he were to lose his favorite son, right? Feel the same pain and suffering I felt? I mean, that was the plan..."

"Was?"

"I can't do it." Her voice was soft, hardly more than a whisper. "You can control shadows like I can. The only other shadow bender I've met so far and-"Taking a deep breathe she said,"You have nothing to do with what happened. I don't know why I was actually going to-" She turned away from Osamu. "You should probably call the guards now. I promise I won't resist. After everything I've done, the lives I've taken to get here, to get to you...I don't deserve to be alive. I-I j-just want to be w-w-with my family." She collapsed to her knees, her head lowered in defeat and surrender as she began to cry even more without restraint.

"So your just going to run away?" Mariko slowly turned around with her body facing Osamu. "Are you selfish enough to spit on your grandpa's sacrifice? The man gladly gave up his life for you in hopes you would live a long life. Instead of living your just going to die? Sorry, but I'm not going to let you do that." Maiko had stopped crying and was staring up at him now with her full attention. "You owe it to family to live life to the fullest, to enjoy it enough for all of them. You also owe it to the lives you have taken to get to this point. After all, how can repent if your dead and how can you make a difference in this world if you can no longer breathe?"

"Make a difference?"

"Yeah, that's what I said. Like you, I have also lost someone dear to me; my mother disappeared a few years ago and I have no idea what could have happened to her. My father burned and exiled my brother for speaking out of turn, his own son, so I know better than anyone what kind of monster that man can be. As long as he sits on the throne the world will never know true peace, children will never be able to dream, and hatred will become a never ending cycle, which is why I ask you this simple question. Will you fight with me to help change this world?"

"To change this world? How do plan to do that?"

"By slowly taking over from the shadows." Dropping lazily to the ground, he knelt down in front of her, meeting her gaze with a fierce expression. "It won't be easy, the Fire Lord is not a fool and he trusts no one fully. Not even me... That's why I need you to become one of my soldiers, to fight with me to change this world for the better. Help me end this war to bring forth an era of peace. Let's show the Fire Nation, all the nations...that light shines the brightest, the strongest, in the darkness of the night."

"I-I don't know! I want to believe in this dream, I want to believe in myself, but..." She lowered her head once more.

"Then believe in me!"

Her head shot back up!

"Put your faith in me and I'll put mine in you. Become my comrade, my friend, Mariko."

"Alright," she whispered.

 **And that's all I wrote. Tell me what you think.**


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